Unplug

Watching late-night TV and checking Facebook won’t help you catch z’s any earlier on Saturday night. “The blue light from the screens has an alerting effect. Even if the show you are watching is boring, your brain cells are now awake,” says Dr. Kumar.

While bright light exposure in the morning helps regulate your circadian rhythm, in the evening, it compromises the process. According to Dr. Twery, bright light in the evening suppresses secretion of the naturally sleep-inducing hormone melatonin and interferes with other bodily processes. “Get rid of all extraneous lighting in your room — especially lights from your electronics. Keep your room dark,” says Twery.

According to a 2011 study from the National Sleep Foundation, 95% of polled participants reported using devices with bright screens before bed and 60% of them reported having sleep-related problems such as snoring or still feeling tired in the morning. Study author Dr. Charles Czeisler said in a statement:

This study reveals that light-emitting screens are in heavy use within the pivotal hour before sleep. Invasion of such alerting technologies into the bedroom may contribute to the high proportion of respondents who reported that they routinely get less sleep than they need.